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Minnesota Submits Bid to Host 2028 NFL Draft

An owners vote could come within months under the league’s two-year host selection cadence.

Overview

  • Minnesota Sports and Events, which filed the proposal Wednesday, is partnering with the Vikings to center the event at U.S. Bank Stadium in downtown Minneapolis.
  • The Vikings pledged financial backing and staff support, with executive Lester Bagley saying the team is vested in bringing the draft to the state.
  • Organizers pitched a regional plan that could spread fan experiences across the Twin Cities, with the TCO Performance Center under review for youth and community programming.
  • If chosen, Minneapolis would become the last NFC North city to host since the NFL moved the draft to a rotating model in 2015.
  • Recent drafts drew roughly 600,000 to 750,000 fans and generated about $100 million to $213.5 million for host cities, which would mean a surge for local hotels, restaurants, and event workers.